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The Kimberley has the highest rates of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in Western Australia – but through the establishment of a new community-led, research-backed project known as END RHD Communities, there’s hope this will change.

Over 100 researchers and health professionals from around Australia have united in Broome this week to address the major health battles facing people living in the tropical north of the country.

Leading paediatrician, infectious diseases specialist and Executive Director of The Kids Research Institute Australia, Professor Jonathan Carapetis, has been recognised for his significant contribution towards medical research with the award of Member of the Order of Australia (AM).

The World Health Organisation resolution for global action to tackle rheumatic heart disease (RHD) will have significant implications for Australia, which has some of the highest rates of the disease in the world.

In a WA first, researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia have shown that Aboriginal babies are 22.5 times more likely to be treated for skin infections than non-Aboriginal babies.

Some of the nation’s leading medical researchers will converge on Darwin this week to step out a plan to wipe out rheumatic heart disease.

Researchers at The Kids Research Institute Australia say Group A Streptococcus should become a nationally notifiable disease in Australia.

End RHD CRE News & Events

Across Australia, more than 5,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are currently living with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) or its precursor, acute rheumatic fever (ARF).

For Aboriginal Community Researchers Minitja Marawili and Yunutju Gondarra, the work of the END RHD CRE is deeply personal.